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Recently a new memo has come to light, written by John Yoo in March of 2003, the same month as our invasion of Iraq. It proves that the Bush Administration was planning to and has used torture on the terrorist detainees. In part it says: "we do not believe that Congress enacted general criminal provisions, such as the prohibitions against assault, maiming, interstate stalking and torture, pursuant to any express authority that would allow it to infringe on the president's constitutional control over the operation of the armed forces in war time." What this basically says is that this lawyer, John Yoo, is telling the administration that in war time, our constitution goes out the window and the president can do as he sees fit.

For years I have wondered why Congress didn't investigate all the torture charges that have been leveled at the president. Well I think I have found the reason, as stated by a Constitutional Lawyer, Jonathan Turley from George Washington University: "It is really amazing because Congress, including the Democrats, have avoided any type of investigation into torture, because they do not want to deal with the fact that the president ordered war crimes....what you get from this is that this was a premeditated and carefully orchestrated torture program. Not torture, but a torture program." This is disturbing on so many levels.

With Congress' refusal to act on these issues, we are setting a bad precedent in this country. The next time that a president wants to do something illegal and against our own constitution, he will know that Congress will do nothing. This is giving way more power to the president than our founders ever imagined. it is Congress' job to help provide oversight and checks and balances to the Judicial and Executive branches of our government. By not pursuing an investigation into these allegations of War Crimes, they are simply not doing the jog that they have been sent to Congress to do. I have written emails to both my Senators telling them that if they want to keep their jobs, they really need to investigate these charges.

I for one, do not want War Crimes committed in my name. This is completely opposite of what I think this country does and should stand for. If we want to put ourselves out to the world as a "moral leader" in global politics, then we had better make sure that our own house is clean. Otherwise, everything we say will ring hollow. And if we are not willing to follow the Geneva Conventions and our own constitutional law, then we cannot expect others to follow those same rules and laws.

All direct quotes were taken from Countdown with Keith Olbermann, aired April 2nd 2008.

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